Middle School

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Free Horizon Middle School 


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We believe that middle school is a time for students to start fostering independence as well as building confidence. The confidence they build in our program will help them to make positive life choices in high school and beyond. We do not consider middle school to be a “mini” version of high school, but a foundation for high school success. Here are some components that make our program unique:

Our program is designed with the early adolescent in mind - literally. Other than infancy, the brain of the adolescent is growing faster than any other time in life. Just like their body has a growth spurt, so does their brain. During this time of brain development, we know three things to be true of the early adolescent.
 1) They feel things intensely
 2) They have desires to take risk
 3) They are the center of their own universe

 The Free Horizon Montessori Middle School takes those developmental needs into the highest consideration.

Through community meetings and restorative justice circles, we allow the early adolescent to find their voice and develop problem solving skills. This helps to further build confidence, in addition to ​allowing the student to learn when to take ownership. Finding their voice at an early age can help them to stand up for themselves in difficult situations that may arise later in life.

The early adolescent’s brain has a desire to take risks. Our goal is to fulfill the need of risk-taking behavior in a safe environment. Students participate in a variety of activities ranging from indoor skydiving to career internships and exploration. Allowing them to take risks in safe venues can serve as a deterrent for students who may seek out other unhealthy risk taking behaviors.

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Developmental Needs

Time of great transformation
Integration of multiple aspects of personality
Period of rapid growth, need enough food and sleep and time to process
Developed logical thinking, but do not like to be pressured
Not inclined to great energy


Developmental Support at FHM 

Build foundations for adulthood with experimental trips, business internships, service learning
Leadership opportunities encouraged
Students take lead in community and individual problem solving with guidance

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Travel and Field Trips

Students travel on at least one educational-curriculum or service learning field trip per month. Real world learning and hands-on experiences are important to our program. Students take school buses, chartered buses, local buses and light rail to destinations and gain independence and confidence in local transportation. Not all field trips are offsite. An overnight trip is also planned every year with the school traveling to places like Washington, DC, Sea Camp in San Diego, and Snow Mountain Ranch in Colorado. As a part of their Family and Consumer Science class (FACs) students run a business to fundraise for large trips and gain hands-on business experience.


 

Students and a teacher give you an in-depth look at Free Horizon Montessori Middle School. 

 


 

Student Quote
 

 

Want to learn even more about our program? 

Watch a video of a special panel night hosted by current and former middle school students, teachers, staff and parents. 

 

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